Ground Level
by DannyDesario
Summary: After the Goblin's alleged death Peter starts from square one having been abandoned by Gwen and Harry


Norman Osborn's alleged death proved to be rock bottom for the Peter Parker.

It completely contrasted his long-term plans. He was supposed to date Gwen and take down The Goblin for good.

Now his best friend Harry blamed Spider-Man for the murder. Gwen stayed with Harry out of pity, but he jumped the gun and broke up with Liz. Not that he would've stayed with her regardless.

As Peter Parker he lost friendships in Gwen, Harry, Eddie, three of his best friends. He also lost any chance of an amicable, friendly relationship with Liz and he felt even more lonely than he's ever felt.

Spider-Man wasn't much better off as Captain Stacy couldn't suppress calls for research into his identity and his arrest on sight. He lost contact with Black Cat after the incident with her father as well.

There was an upside. The first semester of high school was over, so he could fully focus on his vigilante activities and not have to worry about ESU, Midtown or his spending time with his non-existent friends.

Having not spent time around Harry, Peter didn't realize that Harry kicked the Globulin Green habit and replaced it with a new habit.

At first Harry used the Green for the strength and intelligence it provided, but after realizing Peter was going to stab him in the back and Gwen carved the knife for him, he realized he didn't care about the main perks of the drug now that he had no father to impress; he liked blacking out to run away from his problems.

Likewise, he became addicted to bars (Xanax) and Molly. Being barred out felt similar to the high he got from Green, and being barred out gave Harry the blackout he desired to run away from his problems. The Molly fed the egomaniac persona he developed after he became possessive of Gwen. It also added to the brain damage that was already present from the Green.

* * *

Spidey found out about Harry's substance abuse in the worst way possible. On the first Friday before Winter Break he was swinging around the mall at the end of his patrol and decided to get food by himself (No friends, lol).

"What the Fuck?" thought Peter when he heard a loud crash. He swung over to the parking lot with his camera ready, but he didn't expect what he saw. Harry crashed into a parked car while going 50+ mph.

Peter didn't understand how that was possible.

Harry didn't seem completely unconscious or completely coherent. Peter instantly knew what had happened. Liz had talked about Mark's Xanax addiction and Harry was showing all the symptoms.

"Harry, It's gonna be okay!" Spidey said knowing Harry wouldn't remember this, and as a result he wouldn't be mad about seeing Spider-Man later on. Harry was completely slumped, and slightly awake, but wouldn't respond to Peter.

Spidey weighed out his options. He could swing him over to the hospital, but they **might** blood test him, and find the Xanax in his blood stream. The state would revoke Harry's license until he was 18 if that was the case. If he took him to the medical wing at Oscorp (plot convenience, not sure if there is a medical wing) and didn't report him to the police or check him in to the hospital, the car would be under Norman's name and there would be no public medical record of Harry being hurt, but Harry would still be the most likely person to drive the car and that would incur a lengthy investigation by the police. Even if Harry wasn't arrested, someone would have to be the fall guy and would have to explain how a car was going 50+ mph in a parking lot and crashed into a parked car. So Spidey did the responsible thing and swung Harry to the hospital.

"You're awake" said the nurse by Harry's bed as he batted his eyelashes.

Harry looked around. He knew he was in the hospital and if he asked where he was he would seem suspicious. So he skipped the "where am I" and "how did I get here".

"Who checked me into the hospital" he said.

"Spider-Man" The nurse responded

Harry was pissed at the reply he got

"What the fuck do you mean Spider-Man checked me in?!" Harry yelled.

Before he could respond, the nurse interjected with "do you have a prescription for Xanax?".

Harry clenched his teeth and put his face down while gripping the hospital bed sheets.

The he passive-aggressively said "I'd like to speak to my lawyer"

The nurse replied "I'm not a cop, but your blood test is on record and if you're in any kind of legal trouble, there's nothing I can do to help you".

Harry threw his head back into the pillow and asked for his cell phone

* * *

"What's up Gwen?" Peter said answering his phone

"It's Harry, he's in the hospital and his dad's totaled car was abandoned in the mall parking lot" Gwen said

"Do you know anything about this?" she asked

Peter was honestly upset Gwen called him after not talking to him since the funeral knowing Harry had been avoiding him and keeping Gwen away from him. Peter wanted to say he hadn't seen either of them since the funeral, but decided to be polite and just hang up the phone as soon as possible.

"I haven't seen Harry since the funeral" he lied

"Well let me know if you hear anything" she said

"Will do" Peter responded

"So how are MJ and Aunt May?" Gwen said wanting to keep the conversation going for a while, but purposely avoided asking about Peter himself or their relationship

"Actually, Aunt May is telling me to take out the trash right now, talk to you later" Peter said, pulling out one of his trademark lame excuses as he hung the phone and hopped on his bed

Talking to Gwen made Peter frustrated. She stopped talking to him cold turkey, no texts, no anything.

It arguably made his day even worse than realizing his childhood friend was a fiend for bars.

Peter had done some thinking since he spent all of his time in his room alone when he wasn't crime fighting or doing school related activities.

He felt horrible about breaking up with Liz to try to be with Gwen and he didn't blame Harry for hating him. He would've felt the same way.

He didn't notice Gwen when she was single and he had no right to hurt his best friend at that point.

He decided to avoid Gwen at all costs after that whether she was dating Harry or single.

He was about to knock out, but then he got a text from Flash Thompson. It wasn't what he was expecting either.

*Randy's parents are out of town, 908 Culver St. in Manhattan, Men BYOB or $10 cover. We got a couple ounces, but no guy is getting smoked down, 5 bucks to join a sesh*

Flash had stopped bullying him recently after he made Kenny filmed them in a boxing match.

After the last football game of the year MJ and Peter went to a party *as friends*

Flash wagered 50 bucks to anyone willing to box him.

Peter knocked him out in one punch.


End file.
